Lewis Hamilton has warned that Ferrari must "come and fight for the win" at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix, while McLaren team principal Andrea Stella predicts the Scuderia will be "extremely competitive" on the twisty circuit. The rivalry between the two leading teams has intensified after each side secured two victories in the last four rounds, even though Mercedes has generally enjoyed a speed advantage throughout the season. Currently, Kimi Antonelli leads the Drivers' Championship by 45 points over Hamilton and 50 points ahead of George Russell.
Antonelli displayed blistering form at the Belgian round, turning a potential setback – being unable to pit under a Virtual Safety Car – into a race‑winning performance that saw him out‑maneuver Charles Leclerc on Sunday. Ferrari’s strong showing at Spa‑Francorchamps, a track that rewards outright power, suggests they may also be well‑suited to the Hungaroring, a venue dominated by cornering speed rather than straight‑line horsepower. "I think in Hungary, the Netherlands we will see Ferrari back to probably being the fastest car in the corners there.
Extremely competitive," Stella told Sky Sports F1. This sentiment reflects a broader belief that the Hungarian circuit – with its tight, technical layout – could neutralise Mercedes’ engine advantage and highlight Ferrari’s chassis and aerodynamic strengths.
Hamilton, who holds a record eight wins at the Hungaroring, has struggled to convert his pace into victories this year after receiving five‑second penalties in the last two races. His last win came at the Barcelona‑Catalunya Grand Prix earlier in the month. "I’m hoping we can be competitive.
I need to come correct this week and make sure I deliver the way I know I can deliver in Budapest," he said, underscoring his determination to rebound. The Hungaroring is a down‑force‑heavy circuit where energy deployment is less critical than in recent races at Silverstone and Spa, where long straights demanded maximum engine output. Here, the car that extracts the most grip through the myriad of slow‑speed corners will usually prevail.
Sky Sports F1 analyst Karun Chandhok believes this could lead to a repeat of the Barcelona scenario, where Hamilton’s superior chassis allowed him to triumph despite the power‑unit gap. "Ferrari have been behind Mercedes if you look at the trend across the season, apart from Barcelona where I think Lewis Hamilton genuinely had the outright pace to beat Mercedes," Chandhok noted.
"I think Ferrari will be very strong in Budapest. We saw in Barcelona the aerodynamic package and the cornering speeds of the Ferrari are very strong." Bernie Collins of Sky Sports F1 added another perspective: "Hungary and Zandvoort – the first race after the summer break – are both tracks where straight‑line performance is not tested. Those are down‑force circuits where you are trying to get the most out of the car through the corners, and that will promote Ferrari." The expectation that Ferrari could excel in Hungary mirrors the optimism surrounding their performance at Monaco earlier in the season, where Antonelli turned pole position into a race win. Charles Leclerc, however, cautioned against over‑confidence: "I think it’s very difficult to predict the level of performance of every team.
I recall very well what the overall feeling was before Monaco, and we arrived in Monaco and were under‑performing compared to what everybody thought we would, so I think we need to be cautious." Leclerc emphasized the importance of preparation and consistency: "We just need to do our homework, just like we do at every different track. I think what we did particularly well over these last two weekends was to really make sure that we maximised our package, and that’s the mentality we should keep for Budapest, without thinking about expectations." Since Monaco, Ferrari have introduced further upgrades that have sharpened their cornering ability even more.
Team principal Frédéric Vasseur, while optimistic, remains measured: "I think everybody will bring upgrades and we don’t know the picture of the performance. Everybody is pushing," he said.
"You have a lot of performance in the execution on tyre management, tyre preparation, set‑up, and the layout of the track. If we do the same quality of work as this weekend, it will pay off, but it is not a given.
Each weekend we start from scratch." Vasseur also highlighted the variability of circuit demands: "On paper the layout like Silverstone and Spa are probably a bit more difficult than some others. But on the other hand, in Monaco we are not shining. That means we have to continue to push, keep the same approach and never think that it will be easy, because it is never easy." The Hungarian Grand Prix weekend schedule is packed with action.
Thursday, July 23, features a drivers’ press conference at 2 pm followed by the Paddock Uncut at 5 pm. Friday, July 24, begins with F3 practice at 8:50 am, F2 practice at 10 am, and the first Hungarian GP practice session at 12:30 pm, before moving on to qualifying sessions for the feeder series and the main event later in the day. Saturday, July 25, sees the F3 sprint, the final practice session for the Grand Prix, and the crucial qualifying session that will set the grid for the Sunday race. Finally, Sunday, July 26, delivers a full day of racing, including the F3 feature race, Porsche Supercup, F2 feature race, and the Hungarian Grand Prix itself, with post‑race analysis and reaction programmes.
All sessions will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a long‑term contract. The combination of a technically demanding circuit, recent Ferrari upgrades, and Hamilton’s desire to erase recent penalties makes the Hungarian Grand Prix a pivotal moment in the 2026 championship battle. Whether the Scuderia can translate its cornering prowess into a win, or whether Mercedes will rely on its superior power unit to fend off the challenge, will be decided over the next three days in Budapest.